Tag: Frankenmuth
Bronners Visit 2022
Memorial Day weekend continued with a trip to Bronners in Frankenmuth. The first thing we noticed when we drove into Frankenmuth was that there was a dog show called “The Dog Bowl” and the city of Frankenmuth was packed with visitors to see this show. However Bronners was not crowded at all and we took advantage of it to enjoy a nice visit to the largest Christmas shop in the land. Perhaps the most exciting new thing we saw was that Dept 56 was putting out a new Munster and Addams Family ceramic houses. We already had the Hawthorne version of the Munsters but we really had nothing on the Addams family so we bought a small Addams family gazebo to go into our ceramic display of haunted houses. Continue reading “Bronners Visit 2022”
Power Loss and a Trip to Frankenmuth 2021
Sunday began much differently than it ended but its these unexpected surprises that sometimes make the best fun. After dropping of some goods at Grandma’s the family returned home and found out a car accident had caused a power failure throughout Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. With no power at home we decided to take a little road trip to Frankenmuth for some last minute Christmas shopping.
As one would expect, the place was crowded with lines outside of Bronners just to get in and a 2.5 hour wait for chicken dinner, but the family was not deterred as they spent a few hours shopping at the mall and even had a chance encounter with a Christmas hero of Dad… No, not Santa, but the Grinch!
A great time was had by all as we listened to the Lions win their second game of the year and lots of Christmas music.
Continue reading “Power Loss and a Trip to Frankenmuth 2021”
Thanksgiving at Frankenmuth 2017
We spent the last day (Sunday) of the Thanksgiving holiday up in Frankenmuth MI. Bronners was so crowded we actually could not find a parking place so we skipped ahead to the Mall – where carolers were performing Christmas songs – and had lunch at the Bavarian Inn. We sat in the Snow White room (which is unusual, we usually sit in the little red riding hood room) and were entertained with live music and a visit from Santa. We then went back to Bronners which was a little less crowded and enjoyed the sites and sounds of Christmas.
Bronners 2017
Mom had a coupon for Bavarian Inn so on the trip back from Mackinac we ate a late lunch in Frankenmuth and then proceeded to Bronners to round out the day. Mom also had a coupon for 15% off anything we buy at Bronners so we checked everything out and saved a little money along the way. James saw a $4,500 Christmas tree he liked that he liked in the Christmas tree forest, the tree was taller than our home. On the way out we saw the Bronners parade float and snapped a couple pics there as well. It was a really great finale to a wonderful time up North.
Frankenmuth Spring 2016
What started out as a simple trip to the post office ended being a great time in Frankenmuth. After dropping of some packages at the Post Office James wanted to know where 1 mile is. He thought it was Ford road so we set the trip odometer to zero at Ford road and found out Ford road is actually zero mile road and Warren is 1 mile road. We kept clocking the mile roads till we got to Pontiac, then decided to head to Frankenmuth since we were already half way there. 75 North was closed so we picked up 75 in Waterford and had a great time. James bought several books at a book sale at the River Place Shops, Dad got a haunted train engine at Bronners, and Mom got to do some antique shopping. Afterward we at lunch at the Bavarian Inn (where James actually bought lunch for a horse). On the way home traffic on 75 in Pontiac again slowed us down but it hardly put a damper on a great day with great weather in a great little tourist town.
Bronners Spring 2016
Our first stop usually when entering Frankenmuth is Bronners Christmas store. Bronner’s promotes itself as the “World’s Largest Christmas Store”. Designed with an Alpine architecture and operating year-round, the building is 7.35 acres in size with landscaped grounds covering 27 acres. Here is a little trivai – The electric bill alone is $1,250 per day – John Wayne ordered his Santa Suit from Bronners in 1976 – Over 100,000 ornaments are hand painted at Bronners each year.
While primarily known for Christmas, they do have a large selection of the other holidays available year round which makes it a great place to stop for people who enjoy any of the holidays.
Halloween at Frankenmuth 2014
In what many expect to be the last really nice weekend of the year, we decided to visit Frankenmuth during the heart of the Halloween season and see what its like. James was able to participate in some very unique Halloween activities including pumpkin bowling (he threw a spare), exploring through a hay maze, and a pumpkin catapult. We then ate dinner at the Bavarian Inn and then explored Bronners. We finished up the day at a couple antique stores where we picked up a couple Halloween cookie jars at less than half price (which we added to our Halloween cookie jar shelf in the basement) and a Halloween blow mold of a ghost coming out of a pumpkin which we added to our Halloween display.
What a great atmosphere they have in Frankenmuth, so much to do and best of all most of the really fun stuff is free or very inexpensive. Very creative in this city, their chamber of commerce should be proud at how well all the businesses work together to put on a great show. All in all a great “summerish” day in late October.
Bronners in Spring 2013
A cool spring day presented the perfect opportunity for a trip to Frankenmuth and a visit to Bronners. James went shopping at Bronners and bought a couple Easter lights that were on sale (after Easter sale).
James and his family then had a chicken dinner at a pretty crowded Bavarian Inn (We did not expect it to be crowded because it was still pretty cold out, but I think lots of family’s were like us and just said “enough” to winter). For those of you who have never tried Zenders or Bavarian Inn chicken dinners you have to put it on your bucket list. This is a popular tourist attraction on Sundays just for the chicken dinners, several of my friends in Canada make the trek once or twice a year – its that good that people actually go through the hassle of customs to get some of the Frankenmuth Bavarian Chicken dinners
We then shopped at their outdoor mall where Mary got to visit the cupcake shop that won a reality show contest (cupcake wars). On the way home we got to listen to the Tigers win over the Yankees so it was a good day all around.
Christmas Visit At Frankenmuth 2012
A trip to Frankenmuth in December is special, especially as the sun sets and all the Christmas lights turn on. We usually make this visit anytime but Christmas but we felt that we had to visit both Frankenmuth and Bronners at Christmas time (Actually Christmas Eve Eve Eve to be exact).
Meanwhile Mary got to visit a cupcake bakery that she had seen on Cupcake Wars (a reality series on cable). Seems this bakery in Frankenmuth came in first place so we bought some cupcakes while we were there and ate them on the way home.
As the sun began to set the Christmas lights came on in the city and it was a gorgeous spectacle. We drove through the town and across the covered bridge then headed home for the evening.
Spring Frankenmuth Trip 2012
James picked up a few Mario brother characters, a hard hat with a light in it that says Frankenmuth on the side, and an Easter bunny from Bronners (yes, he went to the Christmas shop and bought something for Easter). James had lots of fun and the place was strangely quiet for such a pretty day. We had most of the place to ourselves and had no problems getting seated for a chicken dinner at the Bavarian Inn.
Highlights include James feeding a horse named Gus, flinging about 100 pennies into various fountains, and the many photo ops where you stick your head through a hole (in one James could not reach the boy fairy hole with his head so he stuck his head through the next hole which was the girl fairy). The picture is very funny looking and we all had a little laugh at the fairy pic. You can see that pic and a whole bunch more by clicking the button below.
